Eventually, Qian’s mother is desperate for pain relief and ends up in hospital causing a great deal of added stress on the family. Her mother becomes extremely ill during these first few years,but the family knows that they cannot afford the cost of health care. The stress of the situation plays out in Qian’s parent’s marriage with her father leaving the household for days at a time. The family was ridiculed by others, had derogatory comments made while in public, and lived in fear of being found out and deported. The challenges of Qian assimilating into a school when she had limited English was well described. The book summarizes the jobs taken by her parents and the world they were building in the U.S. However, the family was considered “illegal” in this new home, creating a world full of fear and poverty for the seven-year old.
Both of Qian’s parents were professors in China. Qian describes her arriving in New York City in 1994 with her mother and awaiting father who had gone ahead to find work and a home in which to settle his family. In Chinese, the word America transcribes directly to “Beautiful Country”. It was the “Read With Jenna” selection for September 2021 and I can certainly see why. It is an emotional and touching memoir that will likely stay with me for quite some time. A Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang one such story. I’ve been humbled by stories of their experiences and by their memories of those they’ve left behind. I’ve been blessed to work with individuals and families that have come to Canada as refugees, and new immigrants. As a nurse, I’ve always believed that every patient/client has a story and that it’s important to listen to this information when caring for others.
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